Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 96 The Return (7)
After our guest had left, Holmes maintained his professional composure and coolness.I knew him so well that I could easily see the uncontrollable excitement in his heart.As soon as the generous back of the guest disappeared from the door, my partner couldn't restrain himself, rushed to the table, laid out the notes and started a precise analysis.For two hours, I watched him switch back and forth between the figures and the letters on the drawing.He devoted himself to his work, as if he had forgotten about me. When he was doing well, he would whistle and sing for a while; when he was not doing well, he would frown and stare blankly.At last he shouted excitedly and jumped up from his chair, rubbing his hands together and circling in circles.He wrote long telegrams on telegraph papers. "If the answer is what I think, Watson, you will add another very interesting case to the record," said he. "I think we should go to Norfolk to-morrow and tell him Some good news to take his worries away."

To be honest, I wanted to ask, but I understood that he was willing to talk about his discoveries in his own way and at a time of his choice.So I had to wait until the day he felt he should talk to me.

However, the call was delayed, and we waited patiently for two days. During these two days, as soon as the doorbell rang, Holmes would rush out.Until the next night, a letter came from Hilton Cupid, saying that his home was fine, but one morning he found another group of dancing little people and sent it with the letter.Holmes leaned over the table and studied the picture carefully.Suddenly he stood up and let out a cry of surprise and mournfulness, and his face was so ugly with anxiety.

"We can't let this go any further," he said. "Is there a train for North Walsham tonight?"

I quickly found out the train timetable, but the last train had just left.

"Then we will take the first train to-morrow," said Holmes. "Now we must appear. Ah, here we have a telegram. Wait a minute, Mrs. Hudson. A reply may be necessary. There is no need. It is exactly as I said." As we thought, after reading the telegram, we need to let him know about it, and it will be more dangerous if we delay for an hour, because this stupid guy has already fallen into the dangerous Skynet."

It was later confirmed that the matter was just that naive, ridiculous and bizarre.I was filled with surprise and fear.Even though I want the reader to have some hope of how the story will end, I have to tell the truth for the sake of facts.The occurrence of this incident made "Racing Village Manor" a well-known term for women and children all over the UK.

We had just got off the train at North Walsham, and as soon as we asked where we were going, the station master came up to us. "You must be detectives from London?" he asked.

Holmes's countenance showed an instant boredom.

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because Sheriff Martin of Norwich just passed here. Or are you two surgeons? She's still alive, at least for the time being. Maybe you can catch her up and save her, but you can only keep her alive." Off to the gallows."

Holmes was very anxious, and his face was ugly.

"We must go to Racecourse Village," said he, "but I haven't heard of any accident there."

"It's a terrible thing," said the station master. "Hilton Cupid and his wife were both shot. She shot her husband first and then herself. That's what she learned from the servant. The man is dead long ago." Well, there is not much hope for the girl's life. Well, what a pity, they are the most senior and most respectable family in our place!"

Holmes lost his mind on talking, and hastened into the carriage. He did not speak a word during the journey.I have never seen him so desperate, and he has been unstable all the way here from London.He went over the morning paper carefully, and I saw how worried he was.Now, the worst possibility he expected suddenly became a reality, which made him feel a kind of bewilderment he had never felt before.He leaned against his seat, quietly thinking about this unexpected turn of events.There was much to interest us in this part of the country, as we were passing through a unique part of the English countryside, where a few newly built farmhouses showed how little people were living in this part of the country.A huge square-towered church stands on a flat and green land, showing the splendor and prosperity of the ancient East Anglia Kingdom.There is a blue-purple German Sea on the verdant shore of Norfolk. The coachman pointed his whip at the old-fashioned brick and wood gable in the depths of the grove and said, "That's the Horse Farm Estate."

As soon as the carriage came up to the columned porch, all sorts of associations arose in me, the black tool shed and the place where the dancing figures were always found.Inspector Martin of the Norfolk Police Department, a small, quick-witted man with a short beard, had just stepped out of a one-horse carriage.When he heard my companion's name, he looked extremely surprised.

"Ah, Mr. Holmes, how did you hear about this case in London at three o'clock this morning, and be able to get here as quickly as I did?"

"I've anticipated it, and I've come here to prevent it from happening."

"You must have obtained a lot of important evidence. I don't know anything about it. Because I heard that their husband and wife have always been very loving."

"The only physical evidence I have is a dancing figure," said Holmes. "I will explain later. Now, since the tragedy has not been prevented, I am eager to do justice with the information I have. Do you want me to Join your investigation, or would you rather take action yourself?"

"It would be a great honor for me to investigate together with you," the sheriff said sincerely.

"If this is the case, I will immediately listen to the testimony and conduct an investigation without delay."

Sergeant Martin was wise enough to leave my companion free to act while he recorded the results.The local surgeon, a silver-haired old man, had just come out of Mrs. Cupid's bedroom and reported that her injuries were serious but not fatal.The bullet went into her forehead, and it may take some time before she regains consciousness.Regarding whether she was injured or committed suicide, he did not dare to say lightly.The shot must have been fired from very close to her.Because only one gun was found in the room, and only two bullets were fired in it.Mr. Hilton Cupid was shot through the heart.It can be assumed that Hilton shot his wife first, or that his wife was the murderer because the gun fell on the floor between them.

"Did you move him?"

"No, only his wife was lifted out. She was badly injured. It's impossible to let her lie on the floor all the time."

"How long have you been here, doctor?"

"From four o'clock until now."

"Is there anyone else?

"Yes, this is the sheriff."

"You didn't touch anything else, did you?"

"No."

"You have considered it carefully. Who invited you here?"

"His maid Saunders."

"Did she find it?"

"She and the cook, Mrs. Jin, discovered it together."

"Do you know where they are now?"

"I think it's in the kitchen."

"I think we need to listen to them."

The ancient hall with its oak walls and tall windows is now the Court of Inquiry.Holmes sat in the old-fashioned chair, very tired, but his eyes were stern and bright.I could see the unwavering determination in his eyes.He was ready to investigate the case with all his energies, to avenge his young man who had not been rescued.Strange people sat in the hall, Inspector Martin, neatly dressed; the country doctor, gray-haired; myself and a dull-witted village policeman.

The two women made it clear that they were awakened in their sleep by a popping sound, followed by another.They lived in adjoining rooms, and Mrs. King soon came to Sanders' room.They went downstairs together, with the study door open and a candle burning on the table.In the middle of the room the owner was lying face down, dead.His wife was leaning against the window, her head pressed against the wall.She was badly hurt, her face was covered in blood, she was gasping for air, but she couldn't speak.The smell of smoke and gunpowder filled the corridors and study.The window was closed at the time, and it was plugged in from the inside, and the two are very sure of this.They immediately called for a doctor and the police.Later, with the help of grooms and grooms, they carried the wounded mistress to her bedroom.Both of them had slept in bed before the accident, she was wearing pajamas, and he had a dressing gown on top of the pajamas.The things in the study have not been touched.As far as they know, the husband and wife have never quarreled, and they have always regarded them as a very harmonious couple.

These are the points of the maid's testimony.When they answered Sergeant Martin's question, they were very sure that all the doors were bolted inside and no one could escape.

When they answered Holmes' question, they all remembered the smell of gunpowder when they ran down from the roof.Holmes said to his fellow Sheriff Martin: "Please pay attention to this fact, we can start investigation now."

The study is not big, with books on three walls, a window facing the garden, and a desk in the window. The first thing we see is the body of the gentleman who unfortunately died.His tall and burly body was lying across the room. The bullet was shot from the front, passed through the heart and remained in the body, so he was hopeless.His death was apparently instant and painless, and his dressing gown and hands did not smell of gunpowder.According to the country doctor, the hostess smelled of gunpowder on her face, but not on her hands.

"The absence of powder marks is nothing, but it would make a very different case if there were any," said Holmes. "Unless the cartridge is very ill-suited, in which case the powder will blow backwards, no number of shots will leave any traces." .I think Mr. Cupid's body can now be removed. Doctor, haven't you taken out the bullet that wounded the mistress?"

"It will take a very complicated operation to get it out. But there are still four bullets in the revolver, and the other two have already been shot out, forming the two wounds now, so that all six bullets will fall. gone."

"It seems so," said Holmes. "Then can you tell me about the bullet that hit the window frame?" He turned suddenly, and pointed with his long thin finger to the hole about an inch or so from the bottom of the window frame. a small hole.

"Excellent!" exclaimed the Inspector. "How did you find out?"

"Because I've been looking for it."

"What an astonishing discovery!" said the country doctor. "You are quite right, sir. That is to say, three shots were fired at that time, so a third person must have been present. But who could it be?" ? And how did he escape?"

"Yes, sir. But to be honest, I really didn't understand you at the time."

"I think the doors and windows must have been opened when the gun was fired, otherwise, how could the smell of gunpowder smoke be blown upstairs so quickly? There must be a vent in the room, but I think the doors and windows were opened for a short time, right?"

"How do you know?"

"Look at that candle, it hasn't been blown by the wind to drip wax at all."

"That's great!" exclaimed the Inspector. "Brilliant!"

"After I affirmed that the window was open when the tragedy happened, I imagined that there might be a third party among them. He must have stood outside the window and fired a shot into the house. If you shoot, you might hit the window frame. I looked for it, and sure enough there was a bullet hole there."

"But how are the windows shut?"

"Shutting the window was the mistress's first instinct. Well, what's this?"

It was a women's handbag, made of crocodile leather and trimmed with silver, small and exquisite, and placed on the table.Holmes opened it and emptied out its contents. There was nothing but a roll of Bank of England notes, twenty notes of fifty pounds each, bound together with a rubber band.

"This handbag must be kept safe. It is likely to be used as physical evidence." Holmes said as he handed the handbag and money to the sheriff. "Now we must try to explain the three bullets. From the splinters on the wood, we can see that the bullets were fired from the house. We should ask Mrs. King, the cook again. Mrs. King, you said you woke up. By hearing a loud bang, do you mean it sounds louder than the second one?"

"How shall I put it? Sir, I was awakened from my sleep, so it was difficult to tell. It sounded very loud."

"Don't you think it was probably the sound of two simultaneous shots?"

"I don't know that, sir."

"I'm sure it was the sound of two shots fired together. Inspector, I don't think there's anything to study here. If you'd like to come with me, we'll go to the garden and see if there's any new evidence."

The flower bed outside has been extended to the study window.When we approached the flower bed, everyone screamed in unison, where the damp soil had been stamped by people.The toes are slender, clearly the big footprints of a man.Like a hound following a shot bird, Holmes searched for it in the grass and leaves on the ground.Suddenly he gave a cry of joy and picked up a small round brass pipe.

"Just as I thought," he said, "that revolver has a hopper, and that's the casing of the third gun we're looking for. Sheriff, we're almost done with the case now."

From the countenance of the country policeman, I could see his astonishment at Holmes' quick and skillful solution.At the beginning, he also wanted to talk about his own views.Now, apart from admiration, he is only willing to obey Holmes' command.

"Do you know who fired the shot?" asked the village police officer.

"I will explain this later, because there are still a few points that I am not clear about. Now that I have reached this point, I'd better proceed according to my own ideas, and then make this matter clear at once."

"In your opinion, Mr. Holmes, we only need to catch the murderer."

"I don't want to be tricky, but it's useless to make complicated explanations at the beginning of the action. I have all the clues. Even if the mistress can't recover, we can still imagine what happened last night, and I believe we will be able to catch it." To the murderer. I want to know, is there an inn called 'Elrich' near here?"

After asking all the servants, no one has heard of this inn.But the stable boy helped us, and he said there was a farmer named Elridge a few miles from here, in the direction of East Rolston.

"Is that out of the way?"

"Yes, sir."

"Maybe the people there don't even know what happened here last night?"

"Perhaps, sir."

"Get a horse, my boy," said Holmes. "I want you to send a letter to Elrich Farm."

He took the slips of paper with dancing figures out of his pocket, put them on the desk, sat down and worked for a while, and finally he handed a letter to the stable boy, telling him to give the letter to the addressee I, must remember not to answer any of the questions that person asks.The address and the name of the recipient were scattered on the envelope, which was different from his usual style of writing letters.It read: Mr. Abe Slaney, Elrich Farm, East Rolston, Norfolk.

"Sheriff," said Holmes, "I think you'd better send a telegram and ask for some policemen, as you are very likely to catch a very dangerous prisoner. The boy who delivers the message can go. Watson, if today If there is a train back to London in the afternoon, I think we'd better go back first, to complete a particularly interesting chemical analysis, and the work here is coming to an end."

Holmes sent the stable boy to deliver the letter, and then told all the servants: If anyone came to visit his wife, he should take the guest to the drawing room immediately, but he could not tell his wife's physical condition.After explaining this seriously, he finally led us into the living room, saying that the current situation is beyond our control, everyone should try to rest, wait, maybe something will happen.The country doctor had long since left to see his illness, leaving only the sheriff and me.

"I can pass the time with you in an interesting and meaningful way," said Holmes, moving his chair to the table, and spreading out the scraps of paper with figures on them in front of us. "I owe you a debt, Watson, and I have so far failed to satisfy your curiosity. For you, Inspector, the whole course of this case may attract you to an extraordinary business inquiry. I must To tell you something very amusing, which Mr. Hilton Cupid told me when he came to see me twice in Baker Street." Then he went on in a general way. "Before us are those rare works which, if they had not been the harbingers of this terrible tragedy, perhaps anyone who read it would have laughed it off. I know every cipher text, and I have written about these 160 kinds of ciphers have been analyzed, but this is the first time I have seen this kind of cipher. The person who came up with this kind of cipher did not want others to see it. It is a child's drawing, but as long as you can understand the letters represented by these symbols, and then use the rules of the code to explain, the answer is easy to find out. The sentence on the first piece of paper is very short, I can only have a little Surely one of the symbols stands for "E". You should understand that the letter E is the most common in the English language, and it occurs so often that it is the most common even in a short sentence. Fifteen on the first sheet In terms of symbols, four are the same, and it may be reasonable to assume that it is "E". Some of these graphics have or do not have small flags. Judging from their distribution, they want to separate the single sentences of the sentence. I Thinking that this assumption is acceptable, I wrote E down."

(End of this chapter)